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Transnational Crime

Spring 2011

Wednesday 11:00-12:45

Mahmut Cengiz, PhD

Office: TADOC, 2nd

floor

e-mail: mahmutcengiz96@yahoo.com

Course Description:

The course will provide an overview of transnational crime and corruption and its effects

on the political, economic, and social development of countries around the world. The

increasing problem of transnational crime in conflict regions will be a central focus. The

increasing links among crime groups, corruption and terrorism will be addressed. The

diverse range of activities of transnational crime groups in both the legitimate and

illegitimate economy will be analyzed. This is an overview class of a broad range of

topics, some of which are addressed more directly in other courses offered in SPP.

Texts: Cengiz M. (2010) Turkish Organized Crime in the World

Naim, Mouses 2005 Illicit

Van Schendel and Abraham 2005 Illicit flows and Criminal Things

Shelley, L. (2010) Human Trafficking

Recommended Journals: Trends in Organized Crime Transaction Publishers

Transnational Organized Crime (now Global Crime Cass Publishers)

Recommended Websites:

See Links and publications section of TraCCC website (www.policy-traccc.gmu.edu)

http://www.organized-crime.de/ (Klaus von Lampes website) http://www.ncjrs.org/index.html (National Criminal Justice Reference Service, many

publications on transnational crime)

http://www.yorku.ca/nathanson/default.htm (see links and publication sections)

www.ciroc.org ( see newsletters and past isues of this Dutch based group)

www.unodc.org (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)

http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/pid/748 (counter-trafficking part of International

Organization for Migration website)

http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/nrcrpt/ US State Department narcotics reports

http://www.wola.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=viewp&id=588&Itemid=2

(organized crime in Latin America, WOLA website)

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http://www.asiapacificms.com/articles/ (Bertil Lintners writings on organized crime in Asia)

Course Requirements: Reading

A significant amount of reading is required for the course. Students who fall behind will

have a difficult time catching up. Students are expected to do the assigned reading in

advance of the class. The class will presume knowledge of the readings assigned for that

week. Students are expected to keep up with news on transnational crime that is reported

in newspapers and on-line sources and to discuss recent developments in class each week.

Attendance

Students will be expected to attend the whole class. Attendance will be taken. Your grade

will be reduced for unexplained and unexcused absences. Please inform me if you will be

absent from a class.

Exams

There will be a mid-term exam. It will combine short identifications and long essays. The

exam will draw on the readings, class lectures, and discussions.

Class Project 20%: Written and Oral Presentations, presentations will be chosen by the

student in coordination with the instructor.

The student can do either of the below:

A) Map an international criminal network. Show the commodities the criminals use, the routes they take, their historical development and the other crime groups with whom they

are most likely to work. Please show how these relationships have changed over time.

Presentation should be a powerpoint with a bibliography that will be handed in the day of

the presentation. (20%)

B) Research a major investigation of a transnational crime case or a prosecuted crime

network. Examine the evidence that has been used to address the group and what has

been learned about its criminal activities and money laundering from the investigation.

This could be a trafficking group, a drug organization or a diverse smuggling

organization.

Term Paper Length 20-25 pages, standard reference format

The topic will be chosen after consultation with the instructor. It can use insights that are

obtained from the oral presentation. It should discuss a topic related to transnational

crime and should develop a bibliography of diverse sources. Topics might include such

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topics as: The rise of drug trafficking in Afghanistan, Examining the role of natural

resources in perpetuating conflict, How do crime groups negatively affect the

environment? You can choose to focus on a particular area of criminal activity, a region

of the world or a strategy or set of strategies used to address the problem.

Grading: Students will be graded according to the following criteria:

Class attendance and participation 20%

Class Project 20%

Mid-Term Exam 25%

Term Paper 35%

Weekly Schedule:

Introduction to the Course

Why are transnational crime and corruption important public policy concerns and how do

they relate to national security and peace keeping? How does transnational crime affect

international commerce? Why does an understanding of these phenomena require a

multi-disciplinary (history, political science, economics, sociology and security studies)

perspective? How is transnational crime related to the prolongation of conflict? What are

the linkages between transnational crime, corruption and terrorism?

Week 1 - Definitional Confusion: organized crime and transnational organized

crime

Finckenauer, J. O. Problems of Definition: What is organized crime?, 2005 Hagan, F.E. Organized Crime and Organized Crime: Indeterminate Problems of

Definition, 2006. Cengiz, M. Turkish Organized Crime in the World, ss. 30-36.

Week 2 : Historical precedents of organized crime

Cengiz, M. Turkish Organized Crime in the World, ss. 45-66 and 208-216. Country presentations (How is the historical development of criminal organizations

in UK, Slovenia, and Slovakia)

The World History of Organized Crime http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/world-history-organized-crime/

Week 3 - Conceptualizing the Problem

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The rise of transnational crime has been tied to globalization, the rise of non-state actors,

the retreat of the state and the presence of weak states. This week we will examine

transnational crime in terms of all these trends, but also show that it often has deep

historical roots within many societies that are overlooked in many current analyses that

focus on the recent rise of the phenomena. The implications of the rise of transnational

crime for state sovereignty are central.

Why do organized crime and corruption look so different to those in the transitional and

developing world from those in the developed world? Why has transnational organized

crime increased with globalization and the new technological revolution? How is it

related to national sovereignty and the strength of the state?

Required Readings:

Cengiz, M. Turkish Organized Crime in the World, ss.7-38 Louise Shelley, "Transnational Organized Crime: An Imminent Threat to the Nation

State?," Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 45, No. 2, p. 463-489, Winter 1995.

Susan Strange, "Organized Crime: the Mafias," Retreat of the State: The Diffusion of

Power in the World Economy, p. 110-121, 1996 (see e-reserves)

Week 4 - The Globalization of Transnational Crime

Important crime groups have existed in many countries for significant periods. This week

we will examine the conditions that have contributed to the international spread of these

phenomena. It will examine why transnational crime groups are among the major

beneficiaries of globalization. This discussion will analyze the network structure of many

of the new groups, the spread of the groups and contacts among them. The globalization

of finance and the limits of state based legal systems will be central to this analysis. The

rapid globalization of Post-Soviet organized crime in the decade since the break-up of the

USSR will be used to illustrate some of the ideas presented here.

Selection of Project Topic

Required Readings:

Louise Shelley, Chris Corpora and John Picarelli, "Global Crime, Inc," Beyond

Sovereignty: Issues for a Global Agenda, 2nd Edition. (ed.) Maryann E. Cusimano-Love,

2002, pp. 143-166.

Patrick Glynn, Stephen J. Kobrin and Moises Naim, The Globalization of Corruption, in Corruption and the Global Economy ed. Kimberly Ann Elliott (IIE, 1997), pp.7-27 (e-

readings)

Jamieson, 2001. Transnational Organized Crime- A European Perspective.

Chatterjee, J. 2005. The Changing structure of organized crime

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Ceccarelli, A. 2007 Clans, politics and organized crime in Central Asia

Eyler, T. 2009. Heroin and Human Smuggling in the Balkans, and why Albanian Organized Crime Dominates these Trades

Week 5 - Facilitating Transnational Crime and Corruption;

Transnational crime is able to function because there has been a decline of borders and a

rise of ease of communications through the internet and advanced communications.

Transport links are essential to the commission of transnational crime and criminals are

deeply involved in port and transportation systems. How does organized crime use the

internet and encryption? How has it exploited the decline of borders? How does it use

sophisticated computer specialists to evade detection?

Rey Koslowski, The Mobility Money Can Buy: Human Smuggling and Border Control in the European Union, in The Wall Around the West State Borders and Immigration Controls in North America and Europe eds. Peter Andreas and Timothy Snyder, pp.203-

218

Michael Glenny, McMafia A Journey Through the Criminal Underworld, pp. 264-274

(on cybercrime)

M. Levi, (2009) McMafia crime without frontiers.

Week 6 - The Impact of Transnational Crime and Corruption

Transnational crime represents a new form of authoritarianism. Transnational crime

affects every aspect of life in the contemporary world, to an extent that is not yet fully

recognized. Not only does it affect individual security, but, through the proliferation of

drugs, it has a major impact on health. Transnational criminals as important traders in

endangered species, timber and CFCs pose major environmental threats and undermine

sustainable development. The financing of elections and the infiltration of criminals into

the political process in many countries undermines democracy and citizen faith in

government. Intimidation of muckraking journalists by transnational crime groups is

presently one of the greatest threats to journalism and independent media. The purchasing

of journalists by organized criminals severely compromises the integrity of the press in

many countries. Organized crimes exploitation of labor and its ever-greater role in the smuggling and trafficking of human beings has led to large-scale labor violations and the

reemergence of slavery in regions where it had been eradicated.

How does organized crime and corruption affect economic development? How does it

undermine the environment? How does it affect human rights, such as freedom of the

press, labor rights, and the electoral process? How does it affect women and the poor

disproportionately? What is the impact on the environment? What is the impact of

corruption on the foreign aid process? How does it lead to the prolongation of conflict?

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Required Readings:

Louise Shelley, Transnational Organized Crime: The New Authoritarianism, in The Illicit Global Economy, pp.25-6, 30-47.

http://cpj.org/reports/2004/08/china-8-04.php Committee to Protect Journalists,

victimization of reporters reporting on corruption and crime in China

http://cpj.org/Briefings/2008/Mexico2008/print_friendly.html, Committee to Protect

journalists, victimization of reported reporting on crime in Mexico

http://www.aam-us.org/pubs/mn/MN_JF07_lost-iraq.cfm, looting Iraqs antiquities

Raymond Fisman and Edward Miguel, Economic Gangsters Corruption, Violence and the

Poverty of Nations Princeton University Press, 2008, ch. 1, pp1-21 (e-reserve)

http://www.iom.int/jahia/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/shared/mainsite/projects/showca

se_pdf/global_eye_fourth_issue.pdf (Global Eye 4th issue of IOM publication on human

trafficking on health consequences of trafficking)

Week 7 - Transnational Crime as a Security Issue: Overview

Transnational crime is increasingly seen as a security threat. In the United States, the

focus of concern is primarily on terrorism, whereas in the European context transnational

crime is more of a concern. The reasons for the divergence in this perspective will be

analyzed. In many developing and transitional countries, the corruption of the military

and law enforcement and their involvement with organized crime and terrorist groups is a

major concern to personal and national security. Regional conflicts are prolonged because

of the crime problem and rebel groups. In a world where regional conflicts have

overtaken superpower conflicts, the importance of transnational crime groups in

financing and perpetuating regional conflicts has acquired increasing importance.

Why are transnational crime and corruption seen as security issues both in the United

States, Europe and in many transitional and developing countries? Why does this

problem transcend the problem of the trade in weapons and include the problem of

crime? How are they linked to the problem of terrorism?

Required Readings: Louise Shelley, Trafficking in Nuclear Materials: Criminals and Terrorists, Global Crime, vol.7, nos.3-4 (August-November 2006), pp.544-560.

Lane, D. (2008). Time Crime: The Transnational Organization of Art and Antiquities

Theft

Britford S. 2009 Illicit organ trafficking

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Week 8 Crime - A Central Security Issue in Conflict regions There has been much analysis recently of the role of transnational crime in the

perpetuation of conflicts. Residents in war torn areas are often not able to survive through

the legitimate economy as their homes and lands have been destroyed or confiscated.

Millions of children have been left homeless. What types of criminal activity are most

likely to support conflict? How does corruption facilitate the transnational crime in

conflict regions? What is the role of multinational organizations in this illicit activity?

Required Readings:

William Reno, Illicit Commerce in Peripheral States in Crime and the global political economy ed. By H. Richard Friman Boulder:Lynne Rienner, 2009, pp.67-84.

Heesewijk, M. The Afghan Opiate Trade: Scope, Impact and Potential Solutions

Wilder, A. (2007) Cops or Robbers: The Afghan Police

Rathmell, A. Planning post-conflict reconstruction in Iraq: what can we learn?, International Affairs , 81, 5, 2005, 1013-1038

Fiorentiono, (2009). Antiquidies smuggling in Iraq.

Bogdanos, M. ve Patrick, W. (2005) Thieves of Baghdad New York: Bloomsbury, 2005, pp.243-264

Stojarova_Organized_Crime_in_the_Western_Balkans

Week 8 - Transnational Crime, Corruption and Terrorism What linkages exist between transnational crime and terrorism? Do these relationships

exist outside the drug trade? Why has the term narco-terrorism acquired such currency?

Has their relationship changed over time? What are their differences in goals? Are there

differences in funding?

Required Readings: Louise Shelley, "The Unholy Trinity: Transnational Crime, Corruption and Terrorism, Brown Journal of International Affairs winter/spring 2005, vol. XI, Issue 2, pp.101-111

Tamara Makarenko, The ties that bind:uncovering the relationship between organized crime and terrorism, in Global Organized Crime eds. D. Siegel, H. van de Bunt and D. Zaitch, pp. 159-73.

Tamara Makarenko, (2004). The Crime-Terror Continuum.

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Michael P. Arena, Hizballahs Global Criminal Operations, in Criminal-States and Criminal-Soldiers ed. Robert J. Bunker, pp. 126-42.

Roth Mitchel and M. Sever (2007). The PKK as Criminal Syndicate

Transnational Crime and Terrorism a Case Study: The Colombian Cartels

Melzer S. and Shelley. L. (2008) Two case studies: PKK and Hezbollah

Center for Democracy (2010). Examining the links between organised crime and corruption

April 6 Week 10 - The Drug Based Economy

What is the nature of the drug problem? Why is it so prominent in the general problem of

organized crime? How do different criminal organizations work together to perpetuate

this crime? How has the drug trade affected countries where the traffickers are a

dominant political and economic force? What are the new routes and new products?

Required Readings:

European Drug Monitoring Centre (2010). Cocain a European perspective.

Lampe, K. (2008). Drug smugglers on the drug smuggling

Ruggiero, V. (2009) Unintended consequences changes in organised drug supply in the UK

Ellie, S. (2009). West Africas International Drug Trade

Overview, World Drug Report for 2010 ,

http://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr/WDR_2008/WDR2008_Overview.pdf

Look at State Department Narcotics Control Report,

http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/nrcrpt/, the new report will be added in March 2009

April 13 Week 11 - Human Trafficking and Smuggling

Why is trafficking in human beings an increasingly severe problem? How does it differ

from other forms of organized crime? How does the smuggling and trafficking of men

and women differ? How does trafficking in women differ by region? Why is it such a

difficult crime to investigate? What is required to combat this crime?

Required Readings:

Shelley, L. (2001). Post communist transitions and the illegal movement of people

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Shelley, L. (2010). Human traffcking

Global Eye of IOM, Vol.2 , retrafficking

http://www.iom.int/jahia/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/shared/mainsite/projects/showca

se_pdf/global_eye_2nd_issue.pdf

Mobilit can buy: Human smuggling and border control in the European Union

Week 12 - Transnational Money Laundering

International organized crime groups and terrorists are now major actors in the

international economy. What is money laundering and what are its stages? How is it

affected by increasing technology and the increasing sums of money involved? How is

offshore havens part of the regulatory problem? Why is it such an important part of the

fight with organized crime?

Required Readings:

Moises Naim, Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers and Copycats are Hijacking the Global

Economy ch.7, pp.131-56

Fabre, G. (2009) Prospering from Crime: Money laundering and Financial Crises

Koeffchinks, J. (2009). Trade based money laundering

April 27 and May 4 Weeks 13 and 14- Combating Transnational Organized Crime

and Corruption

Why do the means necessary to combat corruption and organized crime extend beyond

legal prohibitions and prosecutions? How are economic changes needed to address some

of the root causes? What do the problems in combating drugs and human trafficking

reveal about the larger problems of transnational crime?

State Department (2005). State and Law enforcement response.

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